Tourists have described 'extraordinary' scenes of panic as flash floods hit Jordan's historic site Petra "fast and heavy" forcing thousands to be evacuated.

Witnesses said there was a "thunderous roar" before 'raging water started gushing down' and covered people head to toe in mud.

Holidaymakers said there was screaming, yelling, people running to escape - claiming there was no plan in place.

Elderly people and families with young children who couldn't get out quickly enough became "caught", witnesses claimed.

Locals galloping on horses warned visitors to the popular tourist spot to turn back.

One wife was left in tears, worried about her husband who was deep in the ruins, thinking he'd been caught in the flood waters - and she was one of many worried about loved ones in the zone.

People trying to escape from the scene as thousands were evacuated (Image: Kathryn Booth)

Numerous injuries were reported during an "unforgettable" day for many.

A tourist who was at the site when the drama struck said: "I have more than 15 years of hiking in Southwest US canyons and am an experienced kayaker, work as a federal land management law enforcement officer in the US, and this is the largest flash flood I have seen in my lifetime."

Heavy rains and flooding has killed at least four people in Jordan and forced authorities to evacuate more then 3,700 tourists from the ancient city of Petra on Friday, officials said.

Mirror Online spoke to several people who were at the scene in Petra today, enjoying hiking when disaster hit.

Water floods the narrow alleyways in the site (Image: Kathryn Booth)

Brian Murphy and his wife were in Petra as part of a cruise when the area was hit by floods.

The 64-year-old from Wollongong, Australia, spoke of panic, screaming and yelling that broke out.

He said they'd chosen to go on a cruise solely to go to Petra, but they've had to head back to the ship.

Brian Murphy and his wife pictured on a previous holiday (Image: Brian Murphy)

Brian told Mirror Online: "I had already made it to the ’ treasury ‘, the locals began yelling and screaming and of course the tourists became very alarmed.

"Once they closed off the suk, everybody had to make their way to the bottom of the valley.

"There was no plan in place to transport people, private vehicles were charging anything from €10euro to €50 per person to drive tourists back to the entrance, about 6 kilometres.

"When I arrived back my wife was in tears because she thought I’d been caught in the flood waters.

"We (are) on one of approximately 20 buses from the MSC Lyrica, we are still in transit back to the ship.

"I don’t believe there were any fatalities, but quite a few injuries."

Visitors sticking close to the walls to avoid the waters (Image: Kathryn Booth)

He added: "There was more panic up the top of the valley because of the volume of water and debris that was running through the wash.

"Down at the treasury it had dissipated some, but they were concerns that there would be a second surge and no one was allowed to enter the suk.

"It was believed to have been exasperated by the collapse of a dam up stream.

"We had taken this cruise for the sole purpose of revisiting Petra after our initial visit six years ago.

"It certainly has made it even more unforgettable.

"I think the greatest concern is that it all occurred so quickly and that there was no plan to evacuate their paying guests."

People covered in mud as they try and wade through the floodwaters (Image: Kathryn Booth)

Chris and Ivana Mandrick, from Colorado in the US, hiked into Petra this morning and described a large number of people around.

Speaking about their experience, Chris said: "While we were sitting near one of the ruins by the Monastery, I observed thunderstorms in the area and my wife and I decided it was best to hike out.

He added: "We were hiking up the narrows of the Siq and were met with an inch or two of water running down the canyon, I urged my wife to hurry through the canyon and we practically ran out of there.

"As we were leaving, we were met by hundreds if not thousands of tourists.

"There was thunder overhead and rain, heavy at times, was falling.

"Within five minutes of leaving the entrance to Petra we observed a large flash flood, with what I would approximate as 3,000 to 5,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) flow, headed down toward the Siq slot canyon."

Christopher and Ivana Mandrick, from Colorado, were caught in the midst of flooding and thick mud in Petra, Jordan (Image: Christopher and Ivana Mandrick)

He added: "Locals were describing the event as extraordinary.

"I have more than 15 years of hiking in Southwest US canyons and am an experienced kayaker, work as a federal land management law enforcement officer in the US, and this is the largest flash flood I have seen in my lifetime.

"Rain was falling for more than two hours before the flooding began, and we consider ourselves lucky to have gotten out of the canyon minutes before the flooding.

"In retrospect it seemed irresponsible to allow people to enter the canyon given the rain."

The couple saw thunderstorms approaching and decided to cut their visit to Petra's ruins short so they didn't have any problems.

They added: "We came to Jordan for a week looking for an adventure, and so far we have definitely had one, every day of the trip."

Wannisa Jong, a tourist from Thailand, said: "I was walking in an alleyway and then I heard many people's screams from the front.

"First I thought it was a crazy horse.

Wannisa said: "After that the local people who lead donkeys were rushing to take tourists out and shouted “everyone go up”.

The holidaymaker said she was lucky to have been able to climb up onto a high rock because the 'water came so fast and heavy'.

She said she was shocked, knowing her parents were behind, but luckily the water level lowered.

Tourists in the midst of flooding and thick mud in Petra, Jordan (Image: Wannisa Jong)

Kathryn Booth was in Jordan for a work trip and had a day free at the end so took a trip to Petra with a colleague.

"We just started walking up that when the Jordanian guys on horses came galloping down telling people to turn round and go back as floods were coming, she said.

"We rushed back to the treasury area and climbed up high - we climbed up onto the treasury building itself.

"There was now a waterfall where some steps has been to the left of the treasury. There was a couple of hundred people in the area.

"After a few minutes the flood water arrived down the siq- fast flowing but quite a narrow flow where we were.

"Some people who had stayed on their feet came running out of the siq but later we saw other people head to toe in mud who had got caught in it (see photo with car).

"Mostly elderly people and people with kids who couldn’t move quick enough through the siq got caught."

She said locals were great at protecting people.

Thousands had to be evacuated from the ancient site today (Image: Kathryn Booth)

Kathryn added: "They evacuated us out via the back road out. They were taxiing out the less able in pick ups, and some people were taking donkeys."

Dianne Park told the Mirror: "I was standing on the bank as the water was pouring down from the mountain after we had just hiked back up from the Treasury.

"We heard this thunderous roar and saw the raging water gushing down."

The site is popular with tourists from all over the world (Image: Kathryn Booth)

The city is believed to date back to 9,000BC, and has been described by "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage".

It is known as the Red Rose City because of the distinctive colour of its stone.

In 2007 Petra was announced as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, and has become popular as a tourist destination.